Shift work

[k7blaze]

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Hi...
Can you explain shift work to me. If you only work 3, 12 hour shifts (as an attending), how does it mess with your body clock? Also can anyone tell me what an attending's schedule looks like...
Also does anyone know if it is easy to work some hours at a busy hospital and some hours at a not so busy hospital (meaning can you split your work between two places)
Thanks in advance!

 

[EMRaiden]

Hi...
Can you explain shift work to me. If you only work 3, 12 hour shifts (as an attending), how does it mess with your body clock? Also can anyone tell me what an attending's schedule looks like...
Also does anyone know if it is easy to work some hours at a busy hospital and some hours at a not so busy hospital (meaning can you split your work between two places)
Thanks in advance!

As with most things an individual's response to shift work is just that--- individual. Some people have no difficulty with it while others can't handle it. I have been doing shift work for ~12 years, first as a Medic now as a MD, and my body's respose and ability to recover has changed significantly overthat period of time.

After working a lone night I can normally function pretty well the next day. After a string of nights I start to decompensate according to my wife, and get sullen, depressed, easily frustrated- in general I'm a real treat to live with.

Shift work sleep disorder is a real problem that many, many EM physicians face- insomnia, depression, and CAD. If you haven't experienced it you haven't been doing this long enough.

I am contracted to work 40/week averaged over the month- so for a 31 day month I work ~172 hours or a little more than 14 shifts. About half are nights, and 3-4 weekends. My group staffs 4 hospitals- 1 Level I with a volume of 85k, 2 smaller hospitals with volume ~30-35k, and a standalone ED with volume of 15k. We rotate between all 4- though most of my shifts are at the Level I (there are more shifts to staff).

Good luck.